Garment



y 1, 1941- H/PRESSER 2,247,784

7 GARMENT I Filed Feb. ;6, 1940 INVENTOR I 1442?) PEESSER ATTORNEY Patented July 1, 1941 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT Harry Presser, New York, N. Y. Application February 16, 1940, Serial No. 319,206

2 Claims. (01. 2-74) This invention relates to garments. It is particularly directed to a dress provided with an inher band stitched thereto at the waistline.

An object of this invention is to provide a garment having an inner band of the character described, which will hold the waistline of the wearer in, and thus aid in supporting the body at the waistline, and which also serves for the purpose of holding the waistline portion of the dress at the waistline of the wearer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dress of the character described, in which the blouse is stitched to the skirt at the waistline, the inner waist band being stitched to the dress by the waistline seam, whereby the inner band is disposed exactly at the waistline of the dress, said inner band thus being attached to both the blouse and the skirt, whereby to facilitate ripping of the waistline seam, to permit repairs to the dress; said inner band having body, so that it may be readily grasped and pulled to more easily tear the stitching, and hence preventing tearing of the cloth as sometimes occurs when an attempt is made to rip the waistline seam.

I-Ieretofore, dresses in which the blouse is stitched to the skirt at the waistline are provided with a very light flexible piece of tape stitched to the waistline seam, and such a piece of tape does not hold the waistline of the dress straight, so that either when the dress is worn or hung in the closet, the waistline is often wavy, spoiling the appearance of the dress. Furthermore, such dresses are not smooth or flat at the waistline, and often bulge at the waistline. When stitching such a tape to the waistline, the tape often stretches or crimps so that the waistline size is not correct.

It is hence a further object of this invention to provide an inner waistline band of substantially stiff, inelastic material to hold the waistline straight and avoid waving of the waistline either when the dress is worn or hung in the closet; said inner band further serving as a flat backing for the waist portion of the dress, so that the portions of the blouse and skirt which overlap the inner band will lie flat against said band.

Furthermore by utilizing a substantially stiff and inelastic band, the size of the waistline of the dress is retained without expansion, and any blousing effect in the blouse portion of the dress is retained. The stitching of the waist portions of the blouse and skirt to a substantiallystiif inner belt further assures standard waistline size since the inner belt Will not crimp while being stitched to the dress. This advantage is highly important in the mass production of dresses where uniformity is highly desirable.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an inner belt or band for a dress, of the character described, which is so stitched to the blouse and skirt that the seam which attaches the blouse to the skirt may be easily opened when,

the belt is pulled. To open up the seam, the belt is grasped in one hand and the waistline portions of the blouse and skirt are held in the other hand and the two are pulled in opposite directions, thus separating the blouse, the skirt and the belt from each other with one rip, the construction being such further, that if desired, the skirt alone may b ripped, leaving the blouse stitched to the belt.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide in a garment construction of the character described having a vertical seam or an opening at each side of the dress going up and down, an inner belt comprising a front portion at the front of the dress and between theseam and opening, and a back part stitched to the back part of the dress between said seam and opening, each part of the inner band having extra or excess length at the ends thereof to permit the waistline to be increased by ripping the band and restitching to the desired size.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged and durable garment construction of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, comfortable to wear, attractive in appearance, and yet practical and eflicient to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a dress provided with an inner waist band embodying the invention, and with parts broken away to show the waist band;

' Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof, with parts broken away to show the waist band;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing a zip per opening at one side of the dress;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line ,4-4'of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an inside developed View of the waist portion of the dress and the inner band embodying the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a part of the waist portion of the dress and the inner band, illustrating the method of ripping off the band.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, l0 designates a dress provided with an inner waist band 20 embodying the invention. The dress comprises a blouse or waist l l and a skirt [2. The blouse ll comprises a front section Ha, and a back section Nb, and the skirt l2 likewise comprises a front section I2 and a back section [2b.

The sections Ila, llb and I211, 121) are stitched together on one side by a vertical seam l4, and at the other side by a vertical seam Hi. The seam I5, however, is opened up from below the arm to below the waistline, to form an opening closed by slider actuated fasteners IS.

The lower end of the blouse H is stitched to the upper end of the skirt l2 by a waistline seam l8. Stitched to the inside of the dress at the waistline by said line of stitching I8, is an inner waistline band or belt 20. Said band comprises a front part 2| stitched to the front part of the dress, and a rear part 22, stitched to the rear part of the dress, each of said parts being disposed between the seam l4 and the opening l5a, at the side of the dress.

The band parts'2l and 22 are in alignment. Each comprises a fiat inner strip 24 of buckram or the like relatively stiff material, and an outer covering or envelope or sleeve 25v of any suitable textile material. "The outer sleeve may be stitched tothe buckram by any suitable longitudinal seam or seams 25.

The band is preferably first stitched to the inner surface of the blouse l l, adjacent the lower edge of the latter, by a seam 2?, and thereafter, the upper edge of the skirt l2 and the lower edge of the blouse II are together stitched to the band 28 by said seam [8. The seams l8 and 2'! are preferably close together and located substantially along the longitudinal mid-section of the band. 1

The band parts 2| and 22 are preferably of greater length than the distance between the seam l4 andthe openinglSa, and the excess outer end-s 2|a and 22a, of said parts are turned back, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. The

folded backportions 2Ia, 22a of the band parts 2! and 22 at one side of the dress arev stitched together by the verticalseam. M. The turned back ends of the band parts 21 and 22 at the opening v 15a are stitched to the tapes l5a. for the slider actuated fasteners 16.

The turned back or excess portions 2M. and 22a permit the size of the waist to be increased, it merely being necessary to rip open the ends of the bands and restitch to the dress by letting out the seams. Furthermore, the waist measurement can be decreased by ripping and turning back greater portions of the band part ends 21a, 22a.

It will now be understood that the band 20 will hold the waistline of the wearer in, thus aid in supporting the waistline of the wearer. The band furthermore will hold the waist portion of the dress at the waistline of the wearer. Since the band 2!! is inelastic, it will retain the size of the waistline and will not permit stretching or expansion of the dress at the waistline when the dress is worn. k

If theblouse portion of the dress is bloused, the inner band serves to retain the blousing effect. Since the inner band is relatively stifi, it will not crimp when the dress is stitched thereto, so that by properly measuring the lengths of the band parts, a standard waistline size is assured.

Since the longitudinal mid-section of the band is stitched to the waistline of the dress, the band must be disposed exactly at the waistline of the dress without error. Ripping of the dress at the waistline is facilitated for the purpose of repair. Since the inner band is stiff and has substantial body and sturdiness, it may be grasped and pulled to effectively rip open the seam without tearing the cloth. Furthermore, one pull of the band will separate the waist from the skirt, and both the waist and the skirt from the band. Such a pull rips both the seams It and 21. However, if desired, the band together with the waist may be pulled to rip only the seam l8, in which event, only the skirt is ripped and the waist remains stitched to the inner band.

The relatively stiff inner band holds the waistline in a horizontal plane and prevents waviness either when the dress is worn or hung in a closet. Furthermore, the meeting portions of the blouse and skirt naturally flatten against the inner band which serves as a backing therefor producing a smooth flat finish and eliminating bulging at the waistline.

By making the inner band in two parts, the dress may be let out independently at the front or at the back, or both at the front and the back.

It will be noted, furthermore, that the improved inner band 20 facilitates trimming of the end edges 4t and 4! of the skirt and waist beyond the seam [8, as the inner band serves as a guide for the scissors during the trimming operation.

Considerable advantage is derived from stitching the mid section of the belt 20 to the dress. With such construction, a clean inside finish for the dress is obtained as the belt covers the edges 40 and 4|. Furthermore, it serves as a backing for the lower portion of the blouse as well as the upper portion of the skirt. Furthermore, with such construction, the belt is correctly centered with respect to the waistline of the wearer.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A dress comprising a blouse, an inner band stitched to the lower edge of the blouse by a seam and being made of substantially stiff inelastic material, and a skirt, the upper end of the skirt being stitched to the lower edge of the blouse and to said inner band by a second seam disposed closely adjacent to the first seam.

2. A dress comprising a blouse, an inner band stitched to the lower edge of the blouse by a seam and being made of substantially stiff inelastic material, and askirt, the upper end of the skirt being stitched to the lower edge of the blouse and to said inner band by a second seam disposed closely adjacent to the first sea-m, said seams being disposed substantially at, the longitudinal mid section of said band.

HARRY PRESSER. 

